


It's Just A Party

by KayKel108



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: F/M, Stydia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-15
Updated: 2015-12-22
Packaged: 2018-05-06 20:29:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5429753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KayKel108/pseuds/KayKel108
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>With senior year coming to a close, there is only one thing left for Lydia Martin to do.... Throw a kick ass party.  And as with any good party, surprise guests and surprise revelations threaten to ruin the whole night.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Calm, Cool, and Collected

**Author's Note:**

> I've never written a Teen Wolf fic before, so be gentle with the critiques. This chapter is me getting a feel for where the story is going. The rest of the chapters will be longer.

Lydia stared at the cell phone in her hand, watching the screen blink, signaling the end of the call.  She had feigned the calm, cool, and collected girl he expected.  It was Danny after all, he was oblivious. 

Lydia wasn’t that girl anymore.  Lydia heard voices.  Lydia felt death.  Lydia’s best friend died.  Calm, cool, and collected were no longer words she’d consider in the realm of possibilities to describe herself.

But when Danny calls, telling you he’s throwing a huge ass graduation party and needs you to help because you’re Lydia Martin, what else can you do but say ‘Of course.’? 

Nothing else.

You are mother fucking Lydia Martin. 

If there was ever a time to smother out the trauma and heartache of the last year, it was now.  Maybe a kickass party would be good for the whole pack.  Scott and Stiles were slowly working things out, gaining back the trust that had been tested over the last couple of months.  Stiles’ dad was okay, thank God.  The dread doctors were gone.  Theo was gone. 

It was time to relax.

The corners of Lydia’s mouth raised at the thought of actually enjoying an evening without the possibility of everyone around her dying.

With that thought in mind, she did something that the old Lydia would’ve never thought about doing.

She called Stiles.

 

She smiled involuntarily when he picked up on the first ring.

“Ms. Martin, you’re interrupting Arkham Knight.”

She rolled her eyes, “Why you spend so much time playing that stupid video game, I’ll never know.”

He grinned, sitting his controller down, “The fact that you knew it was a video game speaks more about you than the fact I’m playing it.”

“Shut up, Stiles.”

“Did you call me for a reason or did you just miss my voice.”  He teased, knowing she never called just to chat.

She bit her lip, knowing the answer he was expecting, “The only thing you’re voice does is put me to sleep.  I’m calling because I’m throwing a party.”

“And?” he shrugged his shoulders despite knowing that she couldn’t see him.

Lydia huffed, “And, what day works for you?”

“It’s your party, Lyds.”

“Yes, I’m aware.  Thank you.  But I’m not going to throw a party on a night that you couldn’t come.”  She paused a moment before adding, “And Scott.  You and Scott and the others.”

If he noticed her pause, he didn’t show it, “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were being nice.”

“Just check with Scott and give me a day.”

He picked up his controller again and laughed, “Yes ma’am.  See you tomorrow.”

“See you.”  She hung up and tossed her phone on the bed.  He was annoying.  But in a way that she was certain she’d never grow tired of. 

She rolled her eyes at herself, knowing it was idiotic to entertain those kind of ideas about her friend.  Her best friend.  Her best friend who has a girlfriend. 

 

Stiles dropped his phone on the couch next to him and called for Scott, “Hey, bring the Cheetos when you come back in here.  And a rootbeer!  And the left over curly fries!”

Scott jumped over the back of the couch and dropped the food between them, “You’re really enjoying the food selection while you’re dad’s not home, huh?”

Stiles shrugged and stuffed some fries in his mouth, “My arteries are fine.  Hey, Lydia wants to know when’s a good time for a graduation party.”

Scotts popped open his drink and took a swig, “If Lydia’s throwing a party, we’ll make time for it no matter when it is… as long as she doesn’t drug us again.”

Stiles nodded, remembering that horrible night, “Yeah, I’ve reached my existence’s limit of hallucinations.”

Stiles shoots Lydia a text before resuming their game.

_‘We’ll be at the party no matter when it is.  But I’m bringing my own drinks.  Can’t have you taking advantage of me.’_

It isn’t until Scott leaves and he’s getting ready for bed that he checks his phone.

_‘It’s not taking advantage if you already want it.’_

Stiles stared into his screen until it went black and then he opened it again, reading and rereading her words.  Lydia was a flirt, he knew that.  He’d just never been on the receiving end of it before.  He guessed it was good that she felt comfortable enough with him to tease him, even when she knew that he used to have a crush on her.

He sighed.  Used to.  Still do.  What’s the difference.

_‘I’m not Parrish.  I’m not so easily affected by your batting eyelashes and predatory smirk.  Your charm does nothing.  I’m too strong.’_

Lydia sighed at his response.  Damn Jordan.  She had never meant for things to actually happen between the two of them, but it did.  He was sweet and hot and really cared about her.  But he was also old.  And worked for Stiles’ dad.  And it was weird.  And Stiles never missed an opportunity to tease her about it.

She ran her fingers along the seams of her pajama shorts, thinking of an equally witty response.

‘ _Stiles?  Too strong? Hmm.’_

_‘I work out.’_ He responded almost instantly.

_‘I’d have to see it to believe it.’_

_‘Goodnight, Lydia.’_

_‘Night, Stiles.’_

Satisfied with making him feel just inadequate enough for her liking, she slept soundly, not realizing everything would go to shit within the next week.


	2. I Notice You

Stiles pulled the jeep into his usual space, in between Lydia’s Prius and Scott’s bike.   Running his hand through his messy hair, he checked his phone.

“Yep.  Gonna be late.  That seems about right.”  It wasn’t until he climbed out that he noticed Lydia still sitting in her car.

He eyed her curiously, but she wasn’t looking up.  He threw his bag over his shoulder and walked over to her door and tapped on her window.

Lydia jumped at the noise and then exhaled, placing a hand over her heart, “Jesus, Stiles.  Way to give me a heart attack.”

Ignoring that, he opened her door, “What are you still doing out here?  You’re going to be late.  You’re never late.”

She unbuckled her seatbelt, “I was just letting the DJ know about how many people I expected to have at the party and when he needed to set up.”

Stiles laid his arms on top of her door and rested his head on them, “You’re really going all out for this one.  Where is it going to be?”

“Well, Danny is actually throwing it at his family’s lake house.  He has the place.  I have the talent.  So he handed the party planning over to me.”

Stiles nodded, “Danny is a smart guy.  You throw the best parties.”

She laughed coldly, “Yeah, I distinctly remember you using that against me at my lake house not all that long ago.”

He smiled and looked down, kicking a rock underneath her car, “Well… you do.”

She laughed, “Stiles, you’ve only been to one of my parties and I drugged you and all of my friends before resurrecting Peter Hale.  How exactly would you know?”

She watched what looked to be a mixture of embarrassment and hurt cross his face before he replaced it with a smile, “Oh come on, like I haven’t been to all of them.  That was just the first one you remember me at.”

Her eyebrows creased, “You went to all of them?”

He shrugged and opened her door the rest of the way, holding out his hand to help her out.  As she stands, he answered, “Can’t blame a kid for trying to get noticed by the prettiest girl in school.”

She looked up at him.  These were waters they really ventured into.  They’d come to an unspoken agreement to leave the crushing and the kiss and the late nights spent laying on his bed researching supernatural creatures in the past.  He was happy with Malia.  She’d dated people when she felt like it.  They were good as friends. 

She didn’t need to rock the boat.  And yet.

“I notice you.”

They stood there, looking at each other.  Lydia, daring him with her eyes to respond.  Stiles, knowing that if he was reading too much into her words, he’d loss her friendship.  And that was something he couldn't give up.

 

“Stilinski!  Martin! The bell’s about to ring.  You can stare at each other during free period.”

Stiles and Lydia quickly turned and followed Coach into the building. 

Stiles followed her to her locker, “When you said that you notice me, you meant that you know I exist, like you’ve realized that I’m a person who is alive whose name is Stiles and that I’m your friend, right?” 

Lydia paused in the middle of putting her combination into her locker.

“It’s 37.”

She looked up at him with exasperation all over her face, “Yes, Stiles.  I know what my locker combination is.”

His eyes rolled in annoyance, “Well, you paused.”

Lydia raised her voice, though still in the realm of the whispering they’d been doing, “I was thinking about what you said!”

“Oh.”

She sighed, grabbing her history book and slamming the door back.  She turned to him and patted his chest, “I know that you exist and that your name is Stiles and that we are friends.  Now move, I’m already late.”

He stepped to the side and let her pass, watching as she walked towards her class.  Of course it was idiotic for him to even think that she’d meant something else by it.  It was more idiotic for him to have wanted her to mean something else by it.

He lightly jabbed his fist into her locker door and shook his head, turning towards his classroom.

When he sat down he saw Scott’s smile drop and head tilt in confusion.  As much as he loved the guy, he hated that Scott could smell and sense emotions on people.  It made avoiding problems a real bitch.

 

* * *

 

 

Scott caught up with him after school as he made his way to the locker room.

“Dude, what’s up?  What happened with Lydia?”

Stiles had prepared a white lie but was caught off guard by that, “How do you know it has something to do with Lydia?”

Scott shrugged, “It’s weird.  But the smell is different.  You have a scent for guilt or sadness or happiness or fear, but whenever it has to do with Lydia, it’s slightly different.”

“Different?”  Stiles squeezed his backpack straps tightly.

Scott nodded, “Yeah, like… I don’t know.  More intense.  Like whatever emotion you’re feeling, there’s just more of it.”

Stiles looked at his friend with a less than excited expression, “How long have you noticed that?”

Scott smiled and dropped his bag on the ground next to his locker, “Oh I don’t know.  Since Peter bit me and turned me into a werewolf.”

Stiles dropped onto the bench and unlaced his shoes, “Well, that’s lovely.”

“Have you told her yet?”  Scott asked as he changed into his practice shirt.

Shrugging, Stiles shucked off his shirt and pants and threw on his practice gear as well, “Nah, I don't think I need to.”

Before Scott could ask him why, Finstock barged in and threw a piece of paper at Scott, “McCall, these are the teams we have to beat the rest of the season to make State.  Make it happen.”

Scott rolled his eyes and handed the paper to Stiles, “He’s delusional.”

Stiles turned towards the rest of the team, “Alright guys, you heard Coach.  Let’s go make it happen.”

 

* * *

 

 

Lydia and Hayden sat in the bleachers watching the team practice.  It had become sort of routine.  Lydia, of course, claimed that she wanted to support Kira and Hayden was obviously there to watch Liam.  It was nice, just sitting and not worrying about anything but who’d score when.  Malia usually joined them as well, but she’d been absent that last few days.  Stiles said she was looking into some more family stuff.

Lydia chuckled as Stiles fell… again.

Hayden looked over at her for a second before turning back to the game, “Stiles is less than graceful.”

Lydia smiled, “What he lacks in grace, he makes up for in heart.”

Hayden tapped her fingers on the bleachers for a second, as if debating whether or not to say what was on her mind.

She chose to say it, “You know, I don’t really get you.”

Lydia turned to face the younger girl, “Excuse me?”

Hayden backpedaled, “Not in like, a bad way.  I just… one of my friends asked what I was doing today and I said watching practice with you and she gave me this look.”

“What look?”  Lydia asked, more intrigued than offended at this point, judging by the panic in Hayden’s expression.

“Um, well she asked what you were like and I said nice.  That you were nice.  And she said that was a shocker because you’ve always been kind of the queen bee at school and dated the bad boy type and all that jazz.  And so.. I just kind of don’t get it.  Because you aren’t like what people say you’re like at all.”

Lydia smiled sadly, thinking about the person Hayden was describing.  She was a person Lydia barely remembered.

“I was a bitch.  But I’m not anymore.  Your friends dying and you turning into a supernatural beacon for death kind of puts things in perspective.”

Hayden turned back towards the field, “Right.  I’m sorry.  I shouldn’t have said anything.”  She paused for a moment before adding, “For the record, I didn’t know the old Lydia, but the new one is pretty great.”

Lydia looked over at the younger girl, “You know, Allison would’ve liked you.  You remind me of her sometimes.  We used to sit right here and watch practice, back when I cheered for Scott just to piss off Jackson.”

Hayden laughed, “Jackson?”

“Ex-boyfriend.”

“Ah.”  She looked out at the field, gesturing to number 24, “Why didn’t you just cheer for him?  I’d imagine that would’ve made him plenty jealous.”

Lydia’s eyes caught Stiles’ and he bowed dramatically towards her and laughed before turning back towards the game.

She laughed and looked up, “I’m sorry, what’d you say?”

Hayden suppressed her smile the best she could and shook her head, “Nothing, never mind.”

Liam made a big score and the girls cheered, letting their conversation drift back to easy chatter.

* * *

 

 

Lydia was walking into her house when she got a text from Stiles.

_‘Sorry about making things weird this morning.  Didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”_

Lydia honestly couldn’t understand why she never gave him the time of day before Allison and Scott came along.  He was easily the most genuine and caring person she knew.

_‘When have you ever made me uncomfortable, Stiles?  It’s like your life mission to make sure I’m okay.”_

_‘Life mission?  More like penance for all my sins.’_ He quickly responded.

She rolled her eyes and wrote back, _‘Please.  You’d be so bored without me.’_

Ten minutes went by before she received his response.

_‘I’d go out of my freaking mind.’_

Lydia sighed loudly and dropped her phone on her kitchen island, grabbing an apple.  She looked at her phone again, unsure as to whether or not she should even respond to that.  Talking about important things was hard.  Not talking about important things was easy.

So she left it at that.


	3. A Party and a Porsche

The week went by relatively slow.  It was finally Friday afternoon and Lydia was at Danny’s lake house, waiting for the keg guy to show up.  She’d already called Scott and Stiles to come and help carry them in.  Stiles was busy, so it was just her and Scott.

“Why did you say Stiles couldn’t help?”  She asked as she attempted to move a keg unsuccessful.

Scott gently nudged her aside, “Let me.”  Grabbing two at a time, he headed inside, “He went to spend some time with Sheriff before getting ready for the party.  The doctors think he’ll be able to come home next week.”

She exhaled, relieved, “That’s great.”

Scott eyed his friend, “Does Stiles know you’ve been visiting him?”

She looked up, surprised, “How’d you know about that?”

“Mom.”

“Ah.”

“So?”

“No.”

“Oh.”

“Scott.”  She said, exasperated, “Enough with the one worded conversation.”

He laughed, grabbing the last keg, “Why don’t you want him to know?”

She shrugged, “I don’t know.  It’s just.. his dad is the most important person in his whole world and he almost lost him.  Him making it kept Stiles’ world from falling apart.  I guess I just like checking in on him.”

Scott nodded, “Yeah, it’s almost like checking in on Stiles without actually asking him how he’s doing.  I do it too.”

Lydia hoisted herself up on the island, “Stiles has been through so much, it’s hard not to worry, even when he seems fine.”

Scott jumped up on the counter across from her, “When did you realize?”

“Realize what?”  She asked.

He raised his eyebrows, “That you love him.”

Lydia laughed and turned her head to look out the window, “Me?  Love Stiles?  Yeah, okay.  That’s just… That’s…I don’t even know how to respond to that.”

“Lydia..”

“Possibly around the time that I kissed him.”  She said quietly.

“Yeah well I think… I’m sorry.  What did you just say?” Scott looked at her as if he’d had a bucket of cold water dropped on him.

“Stiles didn’t tell you?”  She asked, honestly surprised.

Scott slid off the counter and began pacing, “He most definitely failed to mention that piece of information.”

“Allison didn’t tell you?”

Scott threw his hands up, “What the actual fuck!  How did I not know you kissed him?!  Why’d you kiss him?  Where?  When?  Was there tongue?”

“Scott!”

“WHAT?!”

She stopped him with her foot as he passed by her, “He was having a panic attack and I kissed him to get his mind off of it.”

Scott squinted his eyes at her, “You’re not supposed to touch someone having a panic attack.”

“I know.”

“And you kissed him?”

She nodded.

Scott grinned and wiggled his eyebrows, “Because you wanted to.”

Lydia laughed despite the topic they were on, “Scott, you’re ridiculous.”

“I’m in love with your love, okay.  Let me live.”

She huffed in annoyance, “Well it doesn’t matter now.  And that’s fine.  Stiles is my friend and he’s in my life and I’m lucky to have that and it’s enough.”

Scott nodded, thinking about the things he wanted to say but knowing he couldn’t.  It wasn’t his information to share.

“Well I think you’re both dumb and you should get married.  But that’s just me.  You do you.”  He grabbed his jacket and leaned down to brush a kiss on her forehead, “See you tonight, Lyds.”

She called after him as he walked towards his bike, “Do not be late, McCall!”

 

 

* * *

It was 9:30 when Scott showed up at Stiles’ house.  He pulled his bike around back and left it there, knowing he’d ride with Stiles and they’d pick up Kira on the way.

Letting himself in, he headed to the fridge, “Stiles!  I’m here!”

He heard his muffled response, “Be down in a second!”

 

Upstairs, Stiles was pulling on his shoes.  Standing up, he looked in the mirror and pulled a Princess Diaries reference out, because really, who didn’t love that movie?

“This is as good as it’s gonna get.”

Seeing as it was the last party of their high school careers, he decided to drop the classic plaid and be a little daring.  By daring, he meant denim. So, not really that daring, but different all the same.  A light grey henley shirt, a denim jacket, black jeans and a pair of timberlands.

Scott busted through the door and launched himself onto the bed, “Dude, I’m already tired.  We’re too old for parties.”

Stiles laughed, “We’re eighteen.”

“Really?  I feel like we’re at least thirty.  Thirty-five maybe.”

Stiles adjusted the collar to his jacket, “It does feel like we’ve lived a lot more than eighteen years sometimes, that’s for sure.”

Scott stood back up, looking at himself in the mirror, “I don’t mean to sound like a girl, but does this look alright?  Kira and I don’t go out much, wanna look like I give a shit.”

Stiles rolled his eyes, “She’d like you if you wore a paper bag over your face.  But yeah, looks good.  Got that James Dean daydream thing going on.”

“Taylor Swift.  Really?”

Stiles shrugged, “It’s like the only song on the radio.”

Scott patted his shoulder and headed towards the door, “Let’s go.  Lydia made it very clear she wanted us there at a decent time.  For a girl who’s thrown countless parties, she really seems unnerved by this one.”

They walked down the stairs and out towards his car, “Yeah, I get that feeling too.  I kind of think it’s because she’s not that person anymore.”

“What do you mean?”

They back out of the drive as Stiles continues, “She spent so many years being what she thought everyone expected of her, and now she’s found who she really is.  She likes who she is.  I think she’s uncomfortable with going back to the girl she used to be, even for one night.”

Scott nodded, “Why didn’t you tell me you kissed her?”

Stiles slammed on his breaks, “How’d you know about that?”

“Doesn’t matter how I know.”  Scott shrugged.

Stiles sighed, “Because it’s embarrassing.”

“What?”

“I didn’t tell you because it’s embarrassing.  The girl of my dreams kissed me finally and it wasn’t because I swept her off her feet or she finally realized I was the guy for her, she was just trying to keep me from hyperventilating.”

Scott shook his head at the idiocrasy of his two best friends.  He answered, “I know I’m clearly not the smartest out of the three of us, but I do happen to know that you aren’t supposed to touch someone who’s having a panic attack.”

Stiles waved his hand, accelerating his Jeep again, “Yeah I know, but she read that holding your breath could stop one and I guess she took her chances with the touching thing.”

“She read that, huh?”  Scott rolled his eyes, “Okay.  That sounds fake, but okay.”

Stiles pulled into Kira’s driveway, “Just drop it, alright.  Tonight’s supposed to be fun, not a trip down memory lane.”

Scott held up his hands and then climbed into the back, giving Kira the roomier front seat, “Fine, fine.”

Kira hopped in, “Gentlemen.  I’m super pumped to go to a Lydia Martin sponsored event.  It’s all I’ve heard about at school this week.”

Scott smiled and leaned forward to kiss her, “It’ll be great.  Lydia never disappoints.”

 

True to his words, the party didn’t disappoint, at least from the driveway.  Cars were parked as far back as they could and all over the front lawn.  Stiles found an empty area near the fence between the neighbors to the left.

“God, there are so many people already here.  It’s barely ten.”  Kira said excitedly.

Stiles would’ve answered if he were able to form words.  His eyes locked onto a car he could never not notice.

A Porsche.

Scott’s eyes followed Stiles’ line of vision and he inhaled sharply, “Stiles.. that’s not who I think it is, is it?”

Stiles stuffed his hands in his pockets and nodded, “Jackson.”

Kira looked between the two men, “Jackson.  Who’s Jackson?  Why do you look like you ate bad oysters?”

Scott put his arm around his girlfriend and began walking towards the party, leaving Stiles to stare at the car a little longer.

He whispered, “Give him a minute.  He’ll come in when he wants.  It’s Lydia’s ex.”

“Oh.” Her eyes widened, “Ohhhhh!  That ex.  The ex that she said changed her.”

Scott looked down at her, “She said what now?”

“Yeah, we had a girl’s night last month with Malia and Hayden.  She didn’t mention his name but we got to talking about ex boyfriends and she said she had one that really left his mark.  But, that if she had a chance to do it over again, she would.”

Scott ran his hand down his face, “Fucking fuck.”

* * *

  


Lydia yelled at Danny.  It wasn’t something she was proud of.  She loved Danny. He was sweet and he never did anything to ever deserve being yelled at. 

But that didn’t stop her.

“What the hell!?”  She hissed at him from inside the small half-bath.

He winced, “I didn’t know he’d be here so soon!  He said he was coming for graduation, but I thought he’d get here Tuesday or Wednesday, not freaking Friday night!”

Lydia steadied her breath, “Daniel.  What am I supposed to do?  He’s already tried to corner me into talking twice!”

Danny shrugged, “I don’t know.  Maybe talk to him.  Let him say whatever he needs to and go from there.  You guys never really had closure to begin with.”

She waved her hand, dismissing the idea, “I don’t need closure.  It’s been closed.  I have no desire to re-open any part of that relationship, not even to discuss why it ended.”

“Fine, I’ll tell him to back off, but I can’t promise anything.”

She shook her head, “No, no.  I can face my own problems.  I just wanted to yell at you about them for a minute.”

He laughed while rolling his eyes, “Of course you did.”

 

  


She exited the bathroom, hoping to make her way to the kitchen for some liquid courage when she spotted him.

Him being Stiles.  Extremely good looking Stiles.  Damn.

She could handle him in his regular plaid and messy hair.  She’d watched as it grew out, thinking about how it’d feel to tangle her hands in it.  The more she looked at him the more she realized that he was distractingly handsome.  She beat herself up fro not noticing it earlier.  But she handled it.

She could already tell she wasn’t going to do a good job of handling it tonight.

He spotted her from across the crowded living room and her face broke out into a grin at the sight of the way he looked at her, however conceited that sounded.  She loved the way he looked at her.

He waved and began weaving through the crowd.  He made it about half way before abruptly stopping and turning to talk to a girl from their chemistry class.

She looked at him, confused, for a moment before feeling a tap on her shoulder and completely understanding why he turned away.

She turned slowly and spoke, “Jackson.”

“Hey, stranger.”  He smiled and she had to admit, it didn’t seem anything but genuine.

She crossed her arms, “What are you doing here?”

He sighed, “Can we talk?  Maybe privately?”

She looked over her shoulder to see Stiles nowhere in sight, “Fine.  Yeah.  Back porch, come on.”


	4. A Lot Has Changed

She led the way out back and took a seat on the swing.  He sat down next to her and interlocked his fingers in his lap before beginning, “I want to apologize to you.”

She shook her head, “Look, I know you needed to leave to sort things out.  I get it.  We don’t need to have this conversation.”

“No, no.” He turned towards her, “No.  I mean for everything before I left.  For being such a dick.  God, I was awful.  The way I spoke to you and treated you and openly flirted with other girls in front of you.  I don’t know why you said you didn’t hate me.  I would have.”

She looked at him, shocked by how sincere she could tell he was being, “Why are you telling me this?”

He shrugged, “Because I’m trying very hard to not be that guy anymore.  I wanted to come back for… I wanted to be here for Allison’s funeral.  But, I figured you had a lot on your plate that was more important than my apologies or support.”

She reached over and patted his hand, “Thank you.”

He clutched her hands and squeezed them, “I’m sorry about Aiden too.  Danny told me he was dating his brother and you were seeing him.  I just keep thinking, maybe if I had stayed.  If I were a part of the pack, I could’ve done something to help either or both of them.”

“There was nothing anyone could do.  The nogitsune Stiles was a step ahead of everyone.”

His forehead wrinkled in confusion, “I’m sorry, did you say Stiles?”

She nodded, “Yeah, the nogitsune possessed Stiles’ body.  It wasn’t great.”

Jackson shook his head, “Man.  At least he’s okay now.”

“I don’t know what I’d do if he wasn’t.”  She answered honestly, “He’s my best friend.”

Jackson shook his head, “A lot has changed since I left.”

“Yes it has.”  She sighed, “Look, I don’t exactly know what you’re expecting from this conversation.  I’m not mad at you.  I would’ve done everything again with you if it meant being the person I am today.  Sure, you sucked.  But I came out the other side knowing how I don’t want to be treated.  I’m happy that you’ve grown and changed, because there are a lot of great things about you when you try to be a decent person, but I’m good.  So, we’re good.”

Jackson nodded, “I get that.  I wasn’t expecting anything.  I just wanted you to know that I still think about you a lot and that I regretted the way I treated you.  That’s all.  We’re all about to go off to college and start new parts of our lives and I just wanted to close out this chapter with no regrets.”

With that, she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek, “Then be regret free, Jackson.  I am.”

As if the world liked playing games with her, this was the exact moment Stiles walked around the corner of the house, holding his cell phone up looking for reception.

“Hey, Lyds?  Do you know if there's a landline somewh--  Oh.  I… sorry.  I didn’t mean to interrupt whatever I just interrupted.”  Stiles looked at Lydia for a second with an unreadable expression on his face and then down to their still clasped hands. 

She pulled them away from Jackson’s, “It’s not what--”

Jackson stood and walked over to Stiles, pulling him into a hug, “Stiles, it’s good to see you man.”

Stiles held his arms out awkwardly for a moment before slowly patting him on his back, “Um… I think this is a breach in your restraining order against me.”

Jackson laughed and let go, “It’s expired.  We’re good.”

Stiles stuffed his hands in his pants pockets and nodded towards Lydia, “Catching up?”

Lydia didn’t answer immediately, struck by how thoroughly she wanted to be anywhere else but here.

Jackson looked and her and then back at Stiles, putting the pieces together.  He decided to answer for her if she wasn’t going to speak up, “Yeah, Lyds and I were just talking about the good ole days.  Or the not so good ole days I guess.”  He went back and sat down next to her and patted her knee, “Patched things up.  In case you haven’t heard, I turned over a new leaf.”

Stiles twitched involuntarily as Jackson put his hand on Lydia.  He looked at her one more time and then shrugged, “Cool.  I was just trying to answer Malia’s text.  Not much service out here.  I’ll leave you guys to it.”

“Stiles, I--” Lydia watched him shake his head and make his way back into the party, not caring to hear the rest of her sentence.  She leaned her head back on the swing and exhaled loudly.

She lifted her head to look over at Jackson, who was laughing.

“Excuse you?”

“I’m sorry, I just didn’t realize things had changed _that_ much.”

She crossed her arms again, “What is that supposed to mean?”

He gestured towards the door, “The Stiles I knew would have never in a billion years looked at you disapprovingly let alone walk away from you mid-sentence.  It’s almost as if…”

“Almost as if what?” 

He shrugged, “I never thought I’d say this about Stiles Stilinski, but it’s almost as if he’s over you.”

She looked back to the door, “He’s been over me.  He has a girlfriend.”

“Wait a second.”  Jackson laughed harder than the first time, “It just got better.  Stiles is over you and you’re finally into him.  Oh my god.”

She cut her eyes towards him, “Shut up, Jackson.”

He patted her knee again and stood up, “Ah man.  I gotta say, this was a pleasant surprise.  I’m gonna go in and drink and laugh about this some more.”

“I retract my statements about not hating you.”

He walked back towards the door leading to the party, “Too late.”

 

 

She watched him go back into the party and rolled her eyes.  She was glad that was over, but she felt like she had done something wrong when Stiles saw them together. 

Stiles had always been there when Jackson wasn’t.   He showed up after the movie rental incident.  He was there the night Peter attacked her, even though he never even mentioned that he was the one who saved her.  He didn’t want or need the accolades.  He led a search party for her after she went missing.  The list could go on.  He was her rock and her safe haven and she’d come to terms with the fact that she’d traded that for an asshole over and over again.

She wasn’t obligated to be with Stiles because he treated her nicely.  She knew that.  And that’s what she told herself at the beginning, when she didn’t know him all that well.  And then that’s what she told herself once she did.  It was easier than saying she didn’t have to date him just because she was falling in love with him, because what kind of sense did that make…

And now, here they both were again and she knew the situation was completely different.  But she still left like in that moment, to Stiles, she’d picked Jackson again.  Even if he was with someone else, she wanted him to know that it was different now and that she’d always choose him over the bad guys.

Getting up, she headed back into the crowd of people, looking for one in particular.

 

Stiles was on his fifth beer.  It was good beer.  Lydia always provided the good shit. 

“She’s the good shit.”

“What?”  Liam yelled over the sound of the music.

Stiles rolled his eyes, “Lydia always gets the good shit.”

Knowing that’s not what he said, Liam just nodded and turned his attention back to his girlfriend.

Scott and Kira were on the dance floor.  Mason’s flirting with anyone that moves.  Malia just called and said she’d be here in a few and he was sure she’d be ready to have fun.  He wasn’t in the mood.

As if she was summoned by thoughts of her, Lydia tapped on his shoulder.

He turned and smiled, pretending to be fine, “Hey Lyds!”  He leaned down and placed a light kiss on her temple, “The party's great.  You did it again.”

She smiled at him, momentarily forgetting why she was nervous, “Yeah?  Not too much?”

He shook his head, “No, you’re perfect.”

“What?”

Stiles looked out at the crowd and then yelled over the music, “I said no, it’s perfect!”

“Thanks.”  She placed her hand on his forearm and used it to lift herself up enough to reach his ear, “Can you come with me for a second, I need to talk to you.”

He didn’t say anything, he just nodded and followed her, holding her hand to keep from separating.

She led them outside and down to the docks.

“If you’re planning on killing me, just get it over with.  The suspense is killing me.”

She laughed and kicked off her heals, holding onto him for support, “Shut up.  It’s just so loud in there.  I wanted to be able to talk and actually hear.”

He took off his jacket and handed it to her, “You look chilly.”

She took it and thanked him, “Yeah it shouldn’t be this cold in May.”

Stiles just shrugged and they walked out on the dock and took a seat at the end of it, “You look nice, by the way.  I’m sure you changed a hundred times before choosing that dress, but it was a good choice.”

She looked down at her floral outfit and blushed, “A hundred and one times.  But thanks.”

He laughed and then they sat there quietly for a few minutes.  It was Stiles that broke the silence, “So… Jackson, huh?”

“Yeah.  It was weird seeing him, for sure.”  She answered, not looking at him.

“Did he… are you and him… are you two--”

She reached over and laid her hand on top of his, still not looking at him, “No, we aren't.  Nothing that Jackson says can change the fact that he wasn’t here when I needed him.  He’s never been the one I needed.”

Stiles released the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding, “Well, good.  I don’t care what he says now, dude’s always been a dick.  Always will be.”

“You’re probably right.”

Stiles took his free hand and patted hers that rested on his other one, “You’ll find the right guy one day, I know it.  And he’ll always be there when you need him.  Any guy would be beyond lucky to call you his.”

She looked down at his hand on hers and shook her head, feeling the word vomit happen before she could stop it, “I already found the right guy, I just can’t be with him.”

Stiles tilted his head sympathetically and put his arms around her, “Oh, come here.  I’m sorry.  I know Parrish was great.  Maybe with time it’ll be right for you two.”

“Jordan.  Yeah.”  She responded, glad and kind of destroyed at the same time that he’d jumped to that conclusion instead of the obvious one.

With that he stood up and held his hands out to help her up, “Come on, we better get back to the party.  I told Scott I’d make sure Liam and Mason weren’t extra stupid tonight.”

She took his hands and plastered a smile on her face, ignoring the cracks she could feel growing in her chest, “Right, yeah.  Can't have a party without its host.”


	5. 15 Year Plan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a fun little story. I love me some Stydia. I'm also 100% on board with the two of them finally getting together in a very lowkey kind of way. I don't think they need huge declarations of love. They both know how important they are to each other. I had fun writing this last chapter! Hope you enjoy!

Lydia watched as Stiles immersed himself back into the party.  He was so likable.  Sure, he was still awkward and spazzy, but he’d grown into his long limbs and he had a personality that just drew people to him.

Her heart sank at the sight of such a vibrant person looking so misplaced.  He looked like he’d rather be anywhere else, and it hurt to know that was because of Jackson.  She sometimes wished she couldn't read Stiles as easily as she could.  Even though plenty of time had passed, Jackson had a way of ripping open wounds that had never really sealed for him.  If he only knew how much more of her heart he held than Jackson ever did or could.

 

“Got any better music than this crap?”

Lydia turned, ready to argue, when she came face to face with a smiling Malia.

Lydia grinned and pulled her into a hug, “Where the hell have you been?”

“Trust me, you don’t want to know.” She pulled back and took a sip from the solo cup she was holding, “Great party.  Just kidding about the music, by the way.”

Lydia elbowed her, looking out over the crowd, “Yeah.  Big turnout for sure.”

“Why aren’t you out there with everyone else?”

Lydia shrugged, “I don’t know, I was kind of just enjoying people watching.”

Malia nodded, “You mean Stiles watching?”

Lydia’s eyes widen and she coughed on the drink she had just taken a sip of, “No.  I mean everyone.  Stiles is over there, yes.  But--”

“Why don’t you just tell him how you feel?  I can smell it all over you.”  Malia asked nonchalantly.

Lydia turned completely towards her and answered, not denying her accusations, “You’re dating him.  Why the hell would I do that?”

Malia tilted her head back as she rolled her eyes, “Of course he wouldn’t tell you.”

“Wouldn’t tell me what?”

She put both hands on Lydia's shoulder's, locking eyes, “Stiles and I broke up weeks ago.  It was mutual.  We’re fine and still friends.”

Lydia was quiet for a moment, letting the rage seep through her like a building tidal wave, “Why?”

Malia shrugged, “He just wasn’t in it 100%.  Neither was I.”

“So, you two are fine?”

Malia smiled and extracted the drink from Lydia’s hand, “If you want to tell him how you feel, I’ve held you up long enough, don’t you think?”

Lydia looked back at Stiles and squinted her eyes, “Oh, he’ll know how I feel.”

 

Stiles felt her before he saw her.  He felt a hand trail up the back of his shirt and rest on his shoulder, slowly turning him towards her.

“Lydia, what are you doing?” he leaned down to be heard over the music.

She smiled mischievously, “We’re at a party, Stiles.  Why don’t you look like you’re having fun?”

He took a large swig of his beer and shrugged, “I’m fine, Lyds.  Honestly.”

Lydia put her hand on his forearm and leaned up to whisper in his ear, “Why don’t I believe you?”

He looked down to where her hand was lightly resting on him.  To anyone else, it might not even be noticeable.  To him, it felt like fire.

“What are you doing, Lydia?” he questioned in a serious tone.

She tilted her head, not taking her eyes off of his, “Whatever I feel like doing.”  She held out her hand, “Come on.  We’re dancing.”

She wanted to laugh at how confused he looked, but she wouldn't.  This was going to be fun.

Stiles took her hand as she pulled him out into the crowd.  He quickly looked back toward the group, who all shrugged in response, with eyes wide open.

Lydia abruptly turned towards him, causing him to run into her.  He jumped back to break the contact, “Sorry.”

She shook her head slowly and stepped forward, closing the distance again, “Don’t be.”

She traced her hands slowly up his arms before resting them on his shoulders.

“Lydia, I don’t know what’s--”

“Do you ever think about me?” She cut him off, tilting her head as she looked up and down his torso.

His confusion grew, “What do you mean?”

She brushed herself up against him for a brief moment to the beat of the music, teasing him, “I mean, do you think about me?”

Stiles’ body began reacting while his brain slowly caught up.  He rested his hands on her waist and began softly swaying to the slow song, “Um, yes?”

Lydia moved her hands from his shoulders to his neck and pulled him closer to her while whispering, “Do you ever think about what it would be like?”

“What what would be like?”  His hands slowly spreading over the expanse of her back.

She smiled softly at him, not breaking eye contact but not answering either.

“Oh. OH. Lydia, I don’t understa--”

“Because I do.”  She interrupted, tracing patterns on the nape of his neck with her fingertips, “I think about you.  Those hands of yours.  Always saving.  Always holding me.  I sometimes like to think about what else they could do.”

Stiles’ mouth went dry.

She continued, “Actually, I think about a lot more than your hands.”  She pressed her body firmer against his.

When he didn’t say anything, she put her mouth as close as possibly to his ear and asked, “What are you thinking about, Stiles?”

“Whatever you’re thinking about.”  He answered almost in the same breath, though she was pretty sure he wasn't breathing.  

Her movements were painfully slow.  Stiles felt like he was on fire.  Every touch burnt hotter than the one before.  He didn’t know what the hell was happening, but he was afraid that if he breathed, if he said something stupid, it’d be over.

Lydia moved back so that she was standing directly in front of him.  Her mouth inches away from his and then she finished him, “Stiles.”

“Yeah?” he returned over the sound of the music.

“I wish I could do all of the things I’ve been thinking about doing with you," she paused, "but I can’t.”  

He could practically taste her, she was so close.  And he most definitely had lost coherent thought, “You can’t?”

She moved close enough that her upper lip faintly grazed his lower one and said, “I can’t do all of those things with someone who has a girlfriend.” She abruptly stepped back and smiled coolly, “It’s a shame, really.  But it is what it is.”

Stiles stood there as she walked away, letting the blood rush back to his brain.  What. The. Hell. Just. Happened.  He shook his head, trying to clear his mind and then ran after her, “Hey!”

She felt his hand clasp around hers and turn her around, “Yes?”

“What the hell was all of that?”  He yelled over the fast paced party anthem in the background.

She feigned innocence, “All of what?”

He waved his hands in exasperation, “All of that!  The… the hands and the… the.. you know.  The moving.  And the words.  And the breathing in the ear thing!”

“Was that frustrating for you?”  She asked plainly.

He scrunched his eyebrows, not expecting that question, “Were you just making up stuff to mess with me?  Just because you knew you could?”

Lydia put her hands on her hips, “Were you messing with me?”

He threw his hands up, “God, Lydia!  What the hell are you talking about?!”

She dropped the act, “Why are you such an idiot?!”

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me.  You’re an idiot!”

He rolled his eyes, “Yes, I heard you.  I’m just not comprehending why you’re so pissed?”

“Why wouldn’t you tell me you and Malia broke up?”  She crossed her arms.

He froze, unaware that this was where the conversation was headed.  He wanted to tell her probably every moment of every day since it happened, but to be brutally honest, he was about 1000% sure he'd missed the small window of opportunity he may have possibly had with her.

He looked down at the angry red-head in front of him, “Um... because it was between me and Malia and it wasn’t anyone else’s business.”

_Not far away, Scott banged his forehead against the wall._

Lydia raised her voice as she poked him, “God, Stiles!  You are my business!”

“Ow! What does that even mean!?”  He yelled as he took a step back from her pointy fingers.

She pushed him, though he didn’t move much, “It means you’re stupid!”  She pushed again, “It means that you’re really, really just so damn stupid!” She pushed one more time, “It means that--”

“If you say that it means I’m stupid one more time!”  He yelled.

She shook her head, laughing coldly, “God, even when I’m trying to tell you something you can’t shut up long enough to hear it!”

“Oh, that's rich!"  He ran his hands through his messy hair, "Especially coming from you!"

She squinted her eyes, "What is that supposed to mean?!"

"That you don't listen!  Lydia, do this, this, and this for you safety, please.  LYDIA DOES THE EXACT OPPOSITE BECAUSE SHE HAS A FEELING!"  he exploded.

Lydia shook her head as her anger grew, "Oh, I'm sorry!  The next time I get one I'll just keep it to myself!"

"Why do you even care that Malia and I broke up?"  He returned loudly, completely derailing from the argument they were having.  Or perhaps, re-railing back to their original one.

She clenched her fists in anger and let out what she'd been trying to say, “Because I've been waiting for you, you stupid idiot!”

_By now the entire room was watching them._

“Oh.”  

“Yeah.”

They stood there in silence for a moment before Stiles began yelling again, “When did you--why didn’t you--how did this--!?  Why didn’t you tell me?!”

“I’m telling you now!” she responded with equal frustration.

Stiles took a deep breath and put both hands on his waist, tapping his hip bones.

Lydia mirrored his posture, “Well, are you going to do or say something?”

He held his hand up, “Would you just.. shh." He paused, "Don’t rush me.”

She rolled her eyes.

He suddenly turned toward Scott and called out, “Scott! 15 year plan, rule #5!”

 

“What the hell does that mea--”

She cut her own question off at the sight of approaching Stiles.  Before she had a moment to process what was happening, he’d lifted her off of her feet in by far the most passionate kiss she’d ever experienced.

She felt him smile as she wrapped both arms around his neck, deepening the kiss that he reciprocated wholeheartedly.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew that people were watching, but she honestly didn’t care.  Lydia Martin always threw the best parties in town.  And every good party needed something to write home about.

Reluctantly, Stiles set her back down and pulled back from the kiss.

“Lydia?”

“Yeah?” She breathed, still trying to form coherent thought.

He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, “I'm sorry I'm an idiot."

She shrugged, "I'm used to it."

He placed a hand on the side of her face, drawing her eyes up towards him, “We’re doing this?”

She nodded, leaning into his touch, “If you want to?”

He rested his forehead on hers and smiled, “Well, it kind of ruins my fifteen year plan, but I guess it can be revised.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck again, “Revising is recommended.”

He answered her with another fervent kiss.

 

 

Across the room Kira leaned over to Scott, “What the hell is rule number five in the fifteen year plan?”

Scott grinned, not looking up from his camera, “It’s the last rule in his 15 year plan to make Lydia fall in love with him.  If it ever happened, their moment, he wanted it recorded for their future kids.” Scott’s eyes widened and then he shut his phone off and shoved it in his pocket, “Oh okay.  Yeah, their kids don’t need to see all of that.” He gestured towards the pair embracing.  

He looked at his friends for a moment and when whipped it back out, “Oh screw it.  I can make an edited copy.”


End file.
